


Bloody boyfriend

by dreamscomeslow



Category: The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-05
Updated: 2015-07-10
Packaged: 2018-04-03 00:47:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4080139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamscomeslow/pseuds/dreamscomeslow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Hey, I know this sounds lousy and I’m so sorry but I just ran into my ex with her new boyfriend and I told her you were mine. I realize that we don’t know each other at all but she’s coming over here to meet you, so please play along?” </p><p>Thomas encounters Teresa in a bar and asks the bartender, Newt, to pretend to be his boyfriend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Thomas was running like crazy, feeling his shirt becoming more and more wet against his skin. He finally spotted the bar he had been trying to reach since the rain had started falling, catching him off guard given that the last few days had never been sunnier. Naively, he had believed that summer had arrived earlier and gave up on wearing a jacket. It was clearly a mistake, he thought, feeling drops trickling on his back as he entered _The Maze._

The second he got inside, he felt his body warming up. He loved everything about the place: the soft music coming out of the radio, the furniture, comfortable and cozy, and the people, for the most part students looking for a quiet place to read a book or simply enjoy the calm, away from the college and its surrounding parties. At least that’s what had happened for Thomas five months ago.

He had agreed to go at a party with his girlfriend Teresa, even though he didn’t really want to, because Minho said it would be the best of the year, then again he said that every time. A few hours into it, Teresa and he had begun to argue about Aris, a guy who had recently arrived at college. Apparently, Teresa believed Thomas didn’t give her enough attention, otherwise he would have noticed how Aris was hitting on her and done something about it. The truth was, Thomas had noticed but he didn’t say anything because first, she didn’t seem to mind, and second, he was kind of hoping she would dump him for Aris before he had the courage to do it. At the time things weren’t going well between them and he was thinking about ending their relationship for a while when this argument occurred.

But, as always, he had chosen to be a coward and run away instead of telling her that they were better as friends. That’s when he had found _The Maze,_ the only place still bright in the middle of the dark night. It was around 1 pm, he was exhausted and couldn’t go back to his bedroom because he had promised his roommate Minho he would leave him some privacy. He just wanted to get drunk and forget how lame he was but it was without counting on Alby, the owner of the bar who didn’t hesitate to talk some sense into him. Thanks to him, he finally had the guts to break up with Teresa… three months later.

Thomas was walking towards the bathroom to dry his hair and clothes the best he could when he saw Teresa walking out of it. For a moment, he reckoned if he had the time to turn around and run outside of the bar before she could see him but the small and quite bitter smile she shot him made him give up the idea. Before he could say anything, she exclaimed “Thomas, what a surprise! Long time no see.” He tried to not cringe at that since they both knew he had been avoiding her.

“Yeah, I’ve been quite busy with the exams coming up and Minho wants us to stay in shape so we don’t really go to parties anymore.” he lied hoping she would simply nod and walk away. But she wouldn’t have been Teresa if she did.

“Oh, really? I’m pretty sure we ran into him at Ben’s party, though.” she replied with a wicked smile and he couldn’t believe he had been so stupid. Minho had sent him a text about meeting at a party an hour ago, when he was leaving the library, just before he encountered his friend Brenda.

“Anyway, what are you doing here?” she demanded, and before he could answer she continued, “Brenda told us she got a job here a couple of weeks ago. She said it was a nice place so Aris and I decided to see by ourselves.”

Thomas frowned when he heard that because he was the one who told Brenda they needed someone and yet, she told his ex to stop by with his new boyfriend. He didn’t really care if Aris and Teresa were dating but he wasn’t happy that they were doing it here. This had become his safe place and now he could run into his ex, who he carefully avoided at college, at any moment.

“We’re dating now.” Teresa clarified, bringing his attention back to her.

“Oh, cool.” he replied and honestly, could he be more lame?

“Did Brenda tell you about this place too?” she asked again and Thomas could really not tell her he was here because of the weather. Even if he didn’t mind her dating someone, he knew she would feel victorious if he let her know that his life was boring and nothing had happened since _he_ broke up with her.

“Um, no.” he cleared his throat, looking around the bar. On a booth, a bunch of guys were laughing and drinking happily and not so far away, he recognized two girls from college he would see sometimes. They were arguing violently but stopped immediately when Gally approached with their drinks. Thomas looked away when he heard a light chuckle coming from the counter. A young woman with long, blond hair and very pale skin was laughing with the bartender who had apparently told something funny.

The tall man was beaming at her while making a drink, his black t-shirt seemingly too tight for his muscular arms and his blond hair strongly contrasting with the dark color. In this moment, he appeared to be the nicest guy on earth and that’s perhaps why Thomas answered, indicating the barkeeper and without thinking. “Actually, I came to pick up my boyfriend.”

Teresa displayed confusion while replying, “I didn’t know you were dating someone.” However, she quickly pulled herself together before proclaiming, “I’d love to meet him! Just let me grab my stuff and tell Aris, I’ll be right there.”

And with that, she walked over her table and Aris who had raised a questioning eyebrow.  Thomas was astonished, and Gally had to ask him if he was going to get a drink or just stay in the middle of the bar to bring him back to earth. Without bothering to answer, he approached quickly the bar, passing by Gally, almost trotting.

When he saw Thomas coming to him, the blond turned away from the girl, who was now sipping her drink, and shot him a welcoming smile. He opened his mouth to speak but, before any word could leave his mouth, Thomas was already talking.

“Hey, I know this sounds lousy and I’m so sorry but I just ran into my ex with her new boyfriend and I told her you were mine. I realize that we don’t know each other at all but she’s coming over here to meet you, so please play along?”

Thomas understood how pathetic he must have sounded as soon as he heard his own words, followed by a little chuckle from the girl. He was about to apologize and leave as fast as he could to never come back but he felt a presence behind him, making him turn around. Teresa was standing next to Aris, impatient. _Did she hear everything?_ If she did, she chose to not show it and instead introduced herself.

“Since Thomas doesn’t seem in a hurry to present us, I’m Teresa and this is Aris.” she announced, holding out her hand. The soaked man sighed, about to acknowledge he lied when, much to his surprise, he saw a hand coming out of behind the bar to shake Teresa’s.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Newt, Tommy’s boyfriend.”the bartender stated with a smile. He had a pleasant, silvery voice which communicated his amusement. Thomas couldn’t believe it, _was he really doing it?_ Just like that, he was helping him even though he was a stranger. _But why?_ Too afraid, he didn’t dare to glance at him.

The woman next to them had finished her drink so she seized her bag, put some money on the counter before saying goodbye with a wave and a wink at Newt and left. “Bye, Sonya. Say hi to Harriet for me.” the blond responded with a grin on his face, cashing the money.

“So, how did you and Tom meet? I never saw you at college nor at any parties. And Brenda never mentioned a hot guy working with her and dating Tom.” Teresa resumed the conversation, sitting down on a vacant stool. _Why was she sitting down?_ Thomas only expected her to make small talk and leave. After all, she looked about to depart when he had arrived. But he realized she was right, he had never noticed Newt around, not even at the bar.

“Probably because I just got back from a trip a couple of weeks ago and never had the chance to actually meet this Brenda. But I encountered Tommy here, not so long ago.” he answered simply and Thomas wondered how many times he had to do this, pretend to be someone’s boyfriend.

“Tell me more! How and when did it happen exactly?” Teresa asked, both her and Aris looking expectantly at them and Thomas speculated whether they knew they were lying and were waiting for them to confess it.

Even so, there was no turning back anymore, he couldn’t just back off when this guy he didn’t even know, Newt, had just lied for him. He had to go through with it and see what happens; if they will confound them or not.

“We met here two weeks ago. I wanted to study a bit away from college because there was this huge party and I couldn’t concentrate so I came here.” he began, remembering how Minho had wanted him to go so badly at the party because it would be _the best of the year._ He had tried to convince him for days to come but Thomas had no desire to accept so he had left while his friend was in the bathroom. If he arranged the truth maybe Teresa wouldn’t notice he was lying. “Since there was almost no one in the bar, I ended up talking with Newt and when he finished his service I was still there so I asked him on a date. And we have been dating ever since.” he added, hoping it would be enough for her. Thankfully her suspicious look gave way to a satisfied smile.

“That’s so sweet. I’m happy for you Tom, I mean that you were able to find someone after the break up.” she affirmed and he almost believed her. He wondered if she had told Aris she was the one who broke up with him, and not the other way around, and he was about to correct that when he remarked she finally seemed ready to leave. She was standing up, her purse on her arm and he thought it was the end of this masquerade. He would be able to apologize to the blonde and leave, shortly after Teresa and Aris, without embarrassing himself more.

“We’re going to leave you alone now, we wouldn’t want to impose. May we have two beers though?” Teresa asked Newt and he must have had the same incomprehensive look on his face as Thomas because Aris explained, “It’s still raining cats and dogs outside and we don’t have an umbrella so we’d rather wait a little bit before going back to college.”

Thomas seriously considered smashing his head into the counter when he heard that. He almost wished they would linger now because if they were not going to leave the bar, what was the point? Thomas would have to stay too, in front of the barman, pretending to be a waiting boyfriend because he knew the couple would examine every move he’ll make. This situation seemed to have no way out.

“Are you okay?” a calm voice inquired, forcing Thomas to snap back to reality. The brunet realized the gang was gone and Teresa and Aris had got back to their table, leaving him alone with the blond who, he was now remarking it, sounded English.

“You must be bloody freezing. I have a clean shirt here in the case where someone throws up on me, let me get it for you.”

Thomas felt himself blushing when he saw Newt going in another room he never went to, probably the locker room, to find him a dry tee-shirt. _Was this guy an angel from heaven? How could someone be so nice to a person who had put him in such a terrible situation?_

“Stop over-thinking and go change, the bathroom is right there.” Newt ordered when he returned shortly after, designating the restroom.

“Yeah, I know.” Thomas muttered, taking the black tee-shirt in his hands. “Thanks.”

When he came back, he felt better and hotter. His teeth were not chattering with cold anymore and that was all thanks to the surprisingly warm shirt he had put on. It wasn’t exactly fitting his body but it wasn’t too loose either, and the fabric was unexpectedly soft against his skin.

Thomas was heading back to Newt when he noticed one of the girls had disappeared while the other one was paying. Yet, Teresa and Aris were still at their table discussing while glancing at the bartender.

“It doesn’t look so bad.” Newt stated with a genuine smile on his face and Thomas’ cheeks flushed anew.

“Listen, I wanted to say I’m very sorry for dragging you into this. Honestly, I didn’t expect you to help me but you did and I’m really grateful for that. If you want to stop I completely understand and we’ll do it right away, you’ve already been too kind to me.” Thomas blurted out in a low voice, the second he reached the counter.

“It’s fine, I don’t mind. Actually, it’s quite fun and it’s not like I have something else to do” the blond reassured him. With a concerned look he continued. “Now sit down before they get suspicious, we wouldn’t want to scupper everything now, would we?”

Thomas agreed and obeyed before asking what he wanted to know for quite some time now. “Did you ever do that before? I mean, pretend to be someone’s boyfriend?” he cleared up even though the blond had understood and already shook his head.

“I’ve been asked to but never said yes.”

“Why did you tonight then?” the boy questioned.

“You didn’t really let me time to say no” the Englishman laughed lightly. “I would have probably agreed anyway, you seemed desperate.”

“That bad, huh?” Thomas inquired feeling embarrassed that the blond had helped him because he was pitiful.

“I know what it is, that little competition between two exes when they meet again after the break up. Everyone goes through it eventually. It’s like you have something to prove to the other, even though you don’t.” Newt shrugged. “Also, being completely soaked didn’t really help your case.”

The boy simply acquiesced at that because he couldn’t agree more and that’s the sole reason he hated encountering his exes, especially when he was the one who had broke up.

At that time, Gally approached with a tray full of empty drinks and ignoring Thomas, addressed to his coworker. “I’m heading back home, can you close the bar on your own?”

“Yeah, don’t worry. There aren’t many people anyway.” Newt answered and Gally nodded before disappearing in what Thomas had identified as the locker room, only to come out a few minutes later changed and carrying a bag. He gave another nod to the barman before walking towards the door and leaving.

Thomas took advantage of the opportunity to have a look at his phone. It was indicating six new messages from Minho. The boy sighed but opened the text messages. The first one had been sent right after the one that Thomas already saw, stating there was a party organized by Ben.

**9.06 pm**

**When do you think you can be here?**

Thomas read the following texts expecting Minho to yell at him for not answering and he was right.

**9.21 pm**

**The library is closed now and you had enough time to pass at the dorm to drop off your stuff. What are you doing?!**

**9.27 pm**

**Thomas! Don’t ignore me!**

**9.46 pm**

**I just ran ALONE into Teresa! That was NOT pleasant! If you’re sleeping you can be sure I’m coming to wake you up!**

**10.08 pm**

**Teresa left for some time already, I don’t think she’s coming back so you can stop hiding!**

**10.39 pm**

**Dude, where are you???**

Thomas felt a smile spreading across his face because he knew how Minho loathed Teresa and having to talk to her alone must have been a huge ordeal. Becoming aware of the late hour, it was now 11.13 pm, he quickly texted back to his best friend.

**Don’t worry, mom, I’m fine. :p**

The answer came immediately.

**11.14 pm**

**Are you at the party??**

Thomas shook his head at that, his best friend had just learned he was not dead or held prisoner by some psychotic and he was already talking about the party again.

**Nah, I’m not coming.**

**11.18 pm**

**You better have a good reason for that!**

The boy bit his lip before typing.

**I’m on a date.**

He didn’t have time to explain everything to Minho and after all, he was supposed to be with his boyfriend. He knew this would be enough for the boy and a winky face as a response was all he needed to confirm that. He rolled his eyes at the emoticon, put back his phone in his pocket and looked at Newt who was opening a beer for him.

He couldn’t deny that the guy was attractive and he wouldn’t mind dating him for real. Thomas inwardly slapped himself at the thought. Every time he interacted with Minho, he ended up thinking like him. It was as if the Asian boy was inside his head and he didn’t like that.

“Sorry, my friend can’t live without me.” he apologized. “You said you were coming back from a trip, can I ask where you were?” Since they were apparently stuck in the bar, talking appeared to be the only solution to pass time.

“I went back in England for a few months to be close to my family. What about you? You seem to be a regular customer, yet I never saw you here before.” Newt replied evasively. Thomas frowned at that but didn’t insist.

“I only discovered the bar recently and I got to admit it seems to be a nice place to work. I almost regret telling my friend about the job here but I’m probably too clumsy to be around so many fragile bottles.”

“It is nice, I can’t tell you how happy I am to be back. I was afraid I had been gone for too long to get my job back but I can always count on Alby.”

“Yeah, he’s a great guy.” Thomas didn’t know what to add so he drank his beer silently, enjoying the beverage running down his throat. For a moment, he thought he had seen Newt gazing at him but when he looked at him, the blonde had turned his eyes away from him.

“Sorry, I’m not exactly a convincing boyfriend.” Newt snickered after glancing at Teresa and Aris. “I don’t think they believe us to be a couple.”

“Then we should do something about it.”

Newt opened his mouth to reply but he stopped when he felt a soft hand under his chin, causing him to look up at Thomas. His eyes widened when he noticed the way the brunet’s eyes were lingering on his lips. Maybe the guy got drunk easily, after all, his gaze was really bright even though he still hadn’t finished his beer. The barman, however, was definitely not merry when he decided to lean over to crash his lips against Thomas’. So what? He was just helping the boy to persuade his friends he was dating him; although deep down, Newt knew he was just lying to himself.

Thomas was so startled he didn’t back up right away, not that he wanted to. Newt’s lips were smooth against his and he could feel his body heat radiating from his face and chest. It was as if the blond was surrounding him everywhere but was never close enough. He let out a small moan between his lips when Newt’s hand grabbed his neck, bringing him closer and deepening the kiss that was surprisingly gentle given the strength of its beginning.

Newt was the first to break contact in order to catch his breath and Thomas realized he was out of breath himself. The blond’s hand still on his neck, their eyes closed and their foreheads resting against each other’s, they heard a door closing away. Thomas felt a slow pressure in the back of his neck and thinking Newt was initiating another kiss, he slightly opened his lips in anticipation. Yet, to his unpleasant surprise, the touch disappeared and he perceived Newt pulling away. As he sensed the barman’s tee-shirt slipping through his fingers, he then understood he had grabbed it during the kiss to bring him closer.

Newt stared at Thomas as he opened his eyes which had never seemed so sparkling. Afraid of his reaction, he decided to say the first thing that came to his mind before the brunet could even consider speaking.

“Since they’re gone, I think they bought it. It was a bloody good idea.”

“What?” was the only thing Thomas could answer. He was extremely confused and a little hurt too. Was this all to corroborate their lie? _Did he think that’s what I wanted?_

“I should get their beers but don’t worry, yours is free.” Newt replied as he headed towards Teresa and Aris’ booth. He was clearly making Thomas understand he could, and should, leave now.

“Wait!”

The Englishman raised an eyebrow in surprise before turning around to face Thomas. The boy looked nervous and unsure but he still asked. “Would you have dinner with me sometimes?”

Newt took a close look at Thomas to detect any trace of humor but the boy seemed genuine and as insecure as him with his hand scratching his neck and his lip-chewing. Was he feeling remorseful for putting him in this fake-boyfriend situation? Newt wondered if Thomas was trying to compensate for the night or if he just wanted to spend some time with him. Since he couldn’t choose, he thought about what Alby said every time he refused to go out, which he did a lot, and decided to follow his advice: “Always say yes, it’s never too late to back off.”

Newt didn’t regret it when he realized Thomas was sincere. The moment the answer came, his anxious look gave way to a beaming smile and the blond understood he would never back off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first Newtmas fanfiction, I had a lot of fun writing it so I hope it won't be the last!  
> English is not my native language so I apologize for the mistakes, please tell me the ones you spot so I can improve my writing.
> 
> I hope you liked it, do not hesitate to tell me what you thought about it! :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tons of fluff ahead! You have been warned!

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry.” Thomas chuckled, not convincing at all in his apology.

Newt smiled fondly at the sight of the guy who didn’t seem able to stop laughing. As he licked the ice-cream that was left on the corner of his mouth, he smirked. “You’re a dork, you know that?”

Thomas tried his best to be serious again but a small laugh escaped his lips as he apologized once more. “Yeah, I’m sorry. But you really are too cute right now.”

Newt felt his cheeks blush at the compliment but, embarrassed, looked away and replied sharply. “Can you just tell me where it is so I can take it off?”

“Let me do it.” Thomas burst into laughter before adding. “It’s everywhere!”

“Whose fault?” Newt remarked. “You’re the one who couldn’t put the spoon in my mouth but all over my face.” The blonde was about to continue his remonstrance even if he wasn’t really mad - he just had to say something, otherwise he would melt under Thomas’ fond look - when he noticed how close the brunet was. Newt stilled as he felt a warm hand cup his face so the other one could wipe the ice cream away from his cheeks.

Thomas was so near to him, he could feel his breath against his face. Uncomfortable, Newt fidgeted a bit under the other boy’s touch. He didn’t know why he felt so uneasy when the two of them had already shared a heated kiss. At the time they were complete strangers and now, of course they didn’t know everything about one another’s life, but they had got to know each other a little more during the last hours.

Maybe it was the fact that Newt was in his comfort zone the first time. Or maybe, it was precisely the fact that he didn’t know anything about Thomas except that he was searching for a way to make his ex jealous. Behind the bar, Newt always felt more confident, as if it formed an imaginary line, protecting him from the rest of the world. But now, in the park with Thomas, eating ice-cream on a sunny afternoon, he felt vulnerable. Thomas was so much better than he could ever have imagined and Newt was starting to fear he was falling for the guy.

“There, it’s perfect.” Thomas stated as he stepped back a little to take a look at Newt’s face. He gazed at it proudly as if he had just accomplished a particularly arduous task. Apparently, he hadn’t noticed Newt’s daydream and when he met the blonde’s eyes, his smile widened.

Newt smiled back, pushing his thoughts away to enjoy the present time. But as he dropped his gaze to look at his empty ice-cream cup, a worry assailed him. After glancing at his phone, he sighed and before he could look back at Thomas, he heard. “Is it time, already?”

“Yes, I’ve got to go to work. I’m sorry it wasn’t exactly what you had in mind, eating ice-cream in a park just like teenagers is certainly not what you must have pictured…”

“Are you kidding? It was great! Well for me, at least…” Thomas exclaimed happily before his eyes filled with worry, a question unspoken.

“I thought too.” With a smile, Newt saw Thomas’ face lit up with joy and he recognized once again that the brunet was beautiful. Associated to his amazing personality, Thomas had been gifted with an incredible body which he was taking good care of by running regularly, according to what he had said. Newt realized if he had to fall in love with anyone, it would be Thomas. But that also meant taking the risk of having his heart broken at any time which he had carefully avoided during the last few years.

However, for the first time in all those years, Newt felt it might be worth it.

“Do you want to have a proper date Friday? A real dinner at my place, I’m not on nightshift this day.”

As Thomas nodded vigorously, Newt felt brave enough to leave a kiss on the other boy’s cheek before he went to his job.

***

Why did he have to ask this? Was he completely stupid? Now Newt was in his apartment, wearing a jean he was supposed to wash the day before and a very old shirt he only wore at home. Frantically, he scanned his closet searching for some decent clothes to wear – Thomas should soon be here - but before he could reach for a nice shirt he had completely forgot about, he heard the fire alarm going off in the kitchen.

“No, no, no!” As Newt arrived in the living room, he saw a dark smoke which was seemingly coming out of the oven, overrunning the flat. Quickly crossing the living room, he reached the kitchen, hastened to stop the oven, and bring out the chicken which looked terrible. Coughing but mostly swearing, Newt opened the window when the ring bell resounded, making him curse even more.

“Coming!” The so-called cook yelled before looking around him in despair. Nothing, absolutely nothing, was ready for the dinner he had promised and Thomas wasn’t even early! Newt should have forecasted it, he almost never cooked preferring order food or leaving it to his roommate Alby to do it. When he did cook, it usually came down to put prepared food in the microwave. Therefore, he shouldn’t have tried to cook something as complicated as a chicken for his date because it could only end up with a disaster, as the burning smell proved.

Discouraged, Newt opened the door to face a radiant Thomas with a beaming smile on his lips. The boy was dressed casual but he still looked gorgeous. _The question is, when doesn’t he look so bloody hot?_ Newt remembered that even when Thomas was completely soaked the first time they had met, the blond had already thought he had some appeal.

“Before you say anything, I would like to remember you that you used me to get a silly revenge over your girlfriend when we didn’t even know each other. I think I deserve the right to make some mistakes.” Thomas frowned at the statement but seemed to understand after taking a peek over Newt’s shoulder.

“I brought a bottle of wine!” The brunet exclaimed waving the bottle triumphantly, his good mood unspoiled.

Newt shook his head at the content tone. “Are you always that happy? We have nothing to eat and it’s already 9pm. I don’t know about you but I’m bloody starving!”

“I’m sure it’s not that bad! Are you going to let me in or should I stay here?”

“Sorry, come in.” Newt answered as he gave way to Thomas.

Making himself at home, Thomas headed for the kitchen right away and after putting the bottle he had brought on the table, he took a look at the chicken. After searching the drawers, he got out a knife and a carving fork – Newt didn’t even know they had one of those – and with precise gestures, he began to cut the meat.

“See, it’s only a little burnt on the outside but it’s perfectly eatable.” Thomas exclaimed gleefully. As he turned around to look at Newt, he frowned before adding. “You know who’s not looking so good on the outside either?”

Dropping his look towards his shirt, Newt chuckled lightly. He must have looked absolutely terrible.

“What happened?” Thomas asked, indicating Newt’s holed shirt.

“I was at a party and it went a little wild. Someone was smoking too close to the alcohol and triggered a fire. My shirt caught fire but a kind soul was able to save it and me at the same time. I loved this shirt and I couldn’t decide to throw it away.” Newt shrugged, recalling the story that occurred almost two years ago. “Anyway, I planned on changing but you rang at the door at the same time.”

“Too bad I didn’t arrive a few minutes later then, I would have had the opportunity to see you shirtless.” Thomas stated with a wink, making Newt blush slightly. The blond thought it was becoming a bad habit.

“Yeah, so, I’m going to change. I’ll be right back… or not, it depends if I find something to wear.” Newt said, heading towards his bedroom, wondering if it was a good idea to leave an almost stranger in his living room – Alby would say it wasn’t – when Thomas held him back.

“I have your shirt if you have nothing in your closet… I washed it.” Thomas joked, offering the black shirt Newt had loaned to him at _The Maze_.

After thanking him and taking the shirt, Newt wondered if he should go change in his bedroom but since Thomas had returned to the kitchen, he quickly took off his old shirt. As he was putting on his black shirt from the bar, he heard a shout.

“Oh, wow! Sorry, I didn’t know you were changing here.” Thomas exclaimed as he looked away from the now dressed blond boy. Newt smirked smugly when he saw how the other boy’s cheeks had flushed in a couple of seconds.

“I guess you saw me shirtless after all.” Newt laughed.

“Yeah, sorry I just wanted to take a look at your flat. It’s pretty cool.”

Newt agreed with a nod. “I share it with Alby for three years.”

“Does he work tonight?” Thomas asked, wandering in the living room, carefully looking at everything.

“Yes, until the closure.” Newt answered distractedly as he prepared their plates, minding to remove the overcooked chicken and putting some vegetables that didn’t completely burn. He winced at the sight of the plates, there was almost nothing left to eat and it didn’t look very good. Extremely focused on his task, Newt jerked when he heard Thomas’ cry of joy.

“I can’t believe you have them! Finally, someone who understands me!”

Confused, Newt turned around to discover Thomas who brandished the Star Wars DVD, a big smile on his face. Before Newt could speak, he continued vehemently.

“None of my friends have watched it even if I constantly talk about it! I mean, how can they live without having seen Star Wars at least once in their life? I know, right? They can’t!”

Amused at how passionate Thomas was, Newt scratched the back of his neck before announcing.

“Actually I never saw them either… It belongs to Alby.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

There was an awkward silence for a minute before Thomas spoke again, as if he was searching for the right thing to say to get him out of this embarrassing situation.

“Well, it’s never too late to watch them, right? We could do it together, I don’t mind watching it one more time.”

Newt let out a chuckle when he saw how red Thomas was but he felt himself blush too at Thomas’ words. _He’s already thinking about seeing me again,_ Newt thought and for some reason, it warmed his heart. After he cleared his voice, the blond changed the subject to avoid having to stay in this weird moment.

“Yeah, sure. Do you want to eat now or…? I know it looks bloody terrible but-”

“I’m starving!” Thomas cut in, clapping with excitement. He took one of the plates from Newt’s hands to put it on the table and then sat down as Newt did the same on the opposite side of the table.

After a couple of minutes of silent eating, Thomas remarked. “It’s actually pretty good. I’m sure if it hadn’t burnt, it would have been excellent!”

Newt considered the brunet for awhile and, detecting no trace of humor in the guy’s words, he smiled back. “I wouldn’t be so sure but I’m glad it’s not a complete disaster.”

“Trust me, I’ve tasted some terrible things and this dinner is not even close to it.” Thomas pondered for a moment and then, he confessed. “Actually, I cooked those things. I’m a terrible cook.”

Newt laughed at Thomas’ grimace, probably remembering the taste of those horrible dishes. “Really? I would’ve thought you were brilliant at cooking, considering how you looked like an expert with the chicken earlier.”

“My mother taught me some stuff but other than that I know nothing about cooking. I never really took the time to learn how to properly cook since I left home, I guess. Minho and I usually order food or go eat at the cafeteria.” Thomas explained, looking pensive. Newt recalled Thomas had told him about Minho on their previous “date”, telling him he was his roommate and best friend when he was not a complete idiot. The blond had been eager to meet him ever since and apparently, it was also Minho’s case. The boy didn’t understand how he hadn’t met his best friend’s mysterious boyfriend yet.

“We should take cooking classes! I know if I go by myself I’ll be inattentive but I’m sure I’ll listen if you’re with me.” Thomas suddenly exclaimed, bringing Newt back to reality in no time. Newt didn’t have time to understand what the other guy had just said, Thomas was already speaking about something else as if he had been talking to himself. “So, how did you and Alby meet?”

Thomas immediately noticed how the blond had stiffened, looking uncomfortable.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you or anything, I just thought… Never mind, you don’t have to answer.”

Newt seemed surprised and with a shake of his head, he replied. “It’s okay, Tommy. I’m not really used to talk about it. But I think it’s better if you learn it from me, now.”

“Oh my God, what is it? Did you meet in jail?” Thomas stammered and, for a second, Newt wondered if he was being serious. The brunet realized it because he quickly added. “It will make sense, two prison buddies founding a bar after getting out of jail.”

“No, it’s not that.” Newt said with a small smile before he became somber again. “We actually met in a support group four years ago. I don’t think I should tell you why he was there but I went to this group because I suffered from depression. And I still do.”

There was a silence and when Newt looked up, he saw no pity or commiseration on Thomas’ face but understanding and, surprisingly, curiosity.

“Is that why you don’t drink?” Thomas inquired, pointing Newt’s untouched drink of wine with the head.

“Yeah, my therapist said it only worsens the depression… and the thoughts that I may have. I was quitting smoking when I met Alby and he really helped me. It brought us together and we’ve been friends ever since. During the last few years, and the last few months especially, Alby has been such a great friend, you have no idea how grateful I am to him.”

Thomas was listening carefully and Newt found himself wanting to tell him more. Once again, he felt like he could trust him even if he had taken him months to open up to his therapist, to Alby.

“When we first met, I told you I had been on a trip for the last few months. But the truth is, I went back home because I didn’t feel well. Alby was the one who convinced me to return near my family to get some help and when I came back, he gave me my job back even though I hadn’t work for months.”

“He truly is a great guy then. I’m glad he was around when you weren’t well.” Thomas said and Newt felt as if the brunet knew exactly what he really meant by “not well”. He was pleased to see that they didn’t need to explain everything to understand each other.

“My mom went through depression after my father died of cancer.” The brunet added and for a minute he seemed lost in his memories of a troubled adolescence.

“I’m sorry, Tommy.”

Thomas immediately waved Newt off. “It’s okay, I don’t remember him very well. I was only seven when he passed away.” With a light voice in an attempt to be joyful again, Thomas added. “Anyway, let’s stop talking about sad things! I have a question.”

“Is that so?” Newt asked, slightly worried when he saw Thomas’ intrigued expression.

“Yes. I’ve been wondering, why do you call me Tommy?”

Newt pondered, not sure if there was a correct answer to the question. He wasn’t really able to tell why, it just came naturally from the beginning so the blond decided to be honest. “I don’t know. I thought it was something that couples did, you know, the nicknames and all. I figured it would be normal if you had one since we were supposed to be in a relationship. I guess I wasn’t completely wrong since I noticed Teresa called you “Tom”. And then, it just stuck. I can stop if you want, though.”

“No!” Thomas replied a little too quickly which made him blush so hard, Newt thought his face was going to explode. “I mean, I don’t mind. It’s kind of adorable.”

With that, they discussed various subjects during the rest of the dinner, Newt’s family and how he missed it and especially his dog, Thomas’ studies, but also movies and music, before deciding to eat the dessert - some ice cream stolen from Alby’s stock for bad days - in front of a movie which was on TV.

It was already late and Thomas seemed to be slightly tipsy, he blurted out how he had seen the movie before and how it wasn’t that great. He told Newt everything about the characters – the ones he liked and those he didn’t – and he was explaining how the ending had ruined the entire movie when he suddenly nodded off. Facing the sudden silence, Newt studied Thomas’ face lighted by the television, only to realize the boy had really fallen asleep.

“Tommy, are you sleeping?” Newt whispered pointlessly.

Since no answer came, he kissed Thomas’ temple before cuddling up next to him and go to sleep himself. He knew Thomas’ didn’t have class the next day so they would probably spend the morning together. At the thought, Newt was surprisingly not worried, but simply happy to get to see the brunet when he will wake up.

***

“This is exactly why I have trust issues!” Thomas exclaimed as they left the cinema. “Why would you finish a movie with a cliffhanger?!”

Newt chuckled at how passionate Thomas could be sometimes. “I liked the ending, actually.”

The blonde stopped walking and turned around when he realized Thomas wasn’t next to him anymore. The boy had his mouth wide open and his eyes were completely goggled. He could be so dramatic sometimes, Newt thought, but he couldn’t help to find him cute too.

“Newt, you can’t be serious. This ending was terrible! If there was no ending I wouldn’t see the difference because this was no ending! We don’t know what happened to the characters at all! Is Max still alive? Are Jenny and Don going to meet again? I mean, how can you not find this disappointing?”

“I get your point but I think it’s interesting because it forces us to use our imagination. With an ending like this, there are endless possibilities, you can imagine anything. For example, I can definitely picture Sandy finding Max and saving him.”

“I hate that you’re right. I know all of this but you see, I don’t think Sandy would come back for him after what he did. But it doesn’t matter because we will never know if one of us is right or if something totally different happened since we didn’t have a correct ending.” Thomas whined and as Newt was about to reply to him, a tall man approached.

“Hey, Thomas. What’s up? I thought you were running with Minho today.”

“I already had plans so he went to the track by himself. How are you doing?”

“I’m going to the cinema with some friends, apparently there is a cool movie which came out about explorers. I don’t really know, Zart is the one who dragged me here. Did you see it?” The guy responded with a nod towards his friends behind him.

“Yes, I just saw it with Newt actually. You’ll have to tell me what you thought of it. Anyway, Ben, this is Newt. Newt, Ben.” Thomas replied, introducing the two blonds who gave a polite nod to each other.

“Hi, Newt. Nice to meet you. I don’t think I saw you on the campus before, are you and Thomas friends from elsewhere?”

“Newt’s not at college, he works with Brenda at the bar. And, as a matter of fact, he’s not my friend but my boyfriend.” Thomas answered for Newt, getting closer to him as he talked.

“Oh, okay. I remember now, Teresa mentioned you were dating someone. Anyway, I should probably go, the movie is going to start. See you.” Ben said before he left with a wave to catch up with his friends who had already entered the cinema.

As he disappeared in the building, Newt turned towards Thomas, a cheeky smile on his lips.

“Your boyfriend, huh? Should I deduce this Ben is another one of your exes?”

Thomas rolled his eyes. “No, he isn’t. I just thought, that’s what you were.”

The brunet fiddled with his hands, suddenly seeming unsure. Newt felt a smirk creep on his face but when he realized Thomas really was nervous, he took his hands in his and moved closer to him.

“Of course, I’m your bloody boyfriend, Tommy. As you’re mine.”

As a proof, when Thomas looked up, Newt closed the gap between them by bringing their lips together gently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tadaaa! Here's the end of this one shot. It was absoultely unnecessary but I felt so inspired, I had to write it.  
> Anyway, I hope you liked this little story. Feedbacks are always appreciated. ;)
> 
> P.S: Imagine Newt and Thomas taking cooking classes a few years later because they moved together only to realize they couldn't keep ordering food and eating unhealthy forever. So they go to Frypan's classes and at first they're trying, really, but Thomas is always distracted and he messes everything up. Eventually, Newt gives up and they end up burning their food or not cooking it enough, every time. When Minho learns that, he decides to go with them to make fun of them but he happens to be pretty good at cooking. In the end, Newt and Thomas quit the cooking classes and go at Minho's all the time to eat his delicious dishes - Minho always complains even though he loves having them at home and receiving compliments on his cooking.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Newtmas fanfiction, I had a lot of fun writing it so I hope it won't be the last!  
> English is not my native language so I apologize for the mistakes, please tell me the ones you spot so I can improve my writing.
> 
> I hope you liked it, do not hesitate to tell me what you thought about it! :)


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